Blast-regulator for grain and seed cleaners.



m. azs,637.- PATENTED JUNE 19; 1906.

' 'P. J.'PRAME.

- BLAST REGULATOR FOR-GRAIN AND SEEDYGLEANERS: 'Arrmqulo'n FILED JULY 14, 905.

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PAAIIENTED JUNE 19, 1906.

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, F. i. FRAME. BLAST REGULATOR FORfG'RAIN AND'SEBD GLEANBRS..

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1905.

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' 5 5 Then after passingthro UNITED smg s PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J.[PRAME,

or SHILOH, onto;

'- BLAST-REGULATOR FORK-GRAIN AND SEED CLEANERS;

" 3pecification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 19,1906.

Applioatitn filed July 14,1905. Serial No. 269,576.

To all whont it may concern:

Beit known that I, FRANK J. PRAME-ft citizen of the United States, and a resident of.Shiloh,-county of Richland, and State of eed Clean'ers,of which the following isa i specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish 1t from other inventions.v a My inventlon relates. to machines for cleanvices for regulating the air-blast in such malation are quite essential if thesamelmachine is to be used for cleaning difierent kindsof seed, for only a very light blast is needed in handling fine li ht stock, whereas a strong blast is require a for heavy stock. 3 1

The object of my invention then is to' sup-.

ply means for effecting such regulation that shall be capable of ready and exact adjustment to meet varying requirements. I

.Said invention consists of means hereinafter fully described, and particularly set forth in the claims. r p

1 The annexed drawings and the following descri tion set forth in detail certain means embo ying the invention, such disclosed mean's constituting but oneofthe various mechanical forms in which theprinciple of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings, Figure l-repr'egrain-cleaner withImy im roved blast-regulator inlace. Fig. 2-s ogws the essential parts of t e'regulator in perspective. Fig. 3

partly-in elevation, and Fig. 4 shows in enlarged' transverse cross-section the drum and a portion of the air-shaft contiguous thereto wereby the relative a disposition of these 4 5 parts more clearly appears thanin Fi 1.

The grain-cleaner in connection wit which my improved blast-regulator is shown in Fig. 1 is intended to be merely t ical ofthe gen-- eral class of machines to who such regulator isdesigned to be applied. In thecleaner borne down the Ohio, have invented anew and useful Im-' grovement in Blast-Regulators for Grain and mg grain and seed,"and particularly'to de-' shows the same partly 1n cross-section and there shown, A is the-hopper from which grain is admitted to the interior of the matical air-shaft E. A-continuous blast of air lower end of which it is discharged into "a verl is forced upward through this shaft by means of a fan D, rotating in .a drum D, the air be-V "usual manner. When the air-current, ass-' mg thus through shaft E, is of the right orce,

scribed, to suchshaft the perfect kernels are separated from the chaff, fine dust, and imerfect kernelscontinue downward and are ed through spout E into abox H. The description of the cleaner as thus far given would apply to any modern form of the machine.:- '.The element that constitutes my invention and adds greatly to the usefulness of thecleaner isa device by'meansof which I regulate the force of the blast or currentpassing upwardly through air-shaft E. The necessityfor such regulation is quite evident from the principle of operation of the cleaner just given, for unless the current of air is of the pro er force either ood kernels Will]. be borne a ong with the cha and dust or else the flatter willbe onlypartiallyseparated out.

Attempts haveheretofore been made to effect such regulation of the air-blast by variablythe air-drum or by varying the speedof the *cone-p'ulleys or similar means which occupy valua convenient to manipulate. 1 The means by which-I effect such regulation of the blast companying drawings, a novel arrangement of the lower lip d of the air-drum D" whereit opens into the throat of the air-shaft E and an adjustable valve R in such throat .of the air-shaft,

Lip d of the air-drum, as clearly shown in from the arc of the circle that it won (1 lie in were it to conform exactly in' curvature-with other portions of the drum. By this construction it is readily applarent that the blast of air discharged from t e drum is propeii'ily deflected to pass up the air-shaft and to l upon the grain being admitted, as justdele space and are not always easy orcomprise, as shown in the figures of the acing admitted to the drum at either end in the perfect kernels, these latter being carried along with the current and discharged .through hood F, while. the slightlyheavier closing, by means of slide-doors, the ends of fan. The first of these methods has the ob-. v

the center of the air-shaft than at the sides, while the second method involves the use of 10 5 'Figs. 1 and 2, is flared outwardly or de ressed IIC" from the first the entire cross-sectional area of the same. Such outwardly-flared lip is articularly advantageous when the valve, ater to be described, 15 closed down, 'so as to leave only a very narrow slit for the air to pass throu h, as would be the case when cleanin lig t seed. In such case were it not for the 'p the blast of air would be discharged in a substantially radial direction and 1mpinging against the opposite wall of the throat would-be deflected downwardly, as well as upwardly, with consequently imperfegt winnowing efiect, whereas the lip gives an approximately tangential direction to such escaping current of air with the result above noted.

The valve R referably consists of a rectangular iece oFsheet-iron or other suitable material ent in one direction to conform with the curvature of the air-drum, so that it is, in effect, a section of a cylindrical surface. It extends entirely across the throat of the air-shaft and is of a width sufiicient when lowered to completely close such throat. When raised, the valve is designed to slide within the air-drum, the radius of this portion of the drum-being increased in order to provide room for the valve between the fan and the inner surface of the drum. Projecting tongues 1", one at each end of the valve and designed to fit in curved grooves 1" on the inner surface'of the siding or frame of the cleaner, serve to guide the valve as it is thus raised and lowered. Such raising and lower ing is effected by means of racks r one at eachend of the valve, and pinions r, meshing therewith. The pinions r are both mounted u on a single shaft r, so that by turning this s aftit is evident that the valve can be quickly positioned, as desired. A handwheel 1' attached to a projecting end of shaft 7", facilitates such turnin while a setscrew 1" in one of the bearings 1' ,in which the shaft turns, serves to secure it against further turniidig whenonce the valve is properly adjuste Having thus described the construction of my regulator, themanner of its operation is easily indicated. The fan D is designed to be operated at a uniform rate of speed, and the ends of the air-drum are not obstructed by half-closed doors or the like. In this manner and by means of the eculiarly-shaped lip d of the air-drum a stea y current of air of uniform force throughout is thus maintained in air-shaft E. To accommodate this current .to seeds or grain-of diiierent'qualities, it is merely necessary to more or less com letely close valve R by the mechanism provi ed for that purpose. It is clear, however, that even when ver} nearly closed, as would be necessa ryin cleaning very li ht seed, the air is still admitted with equal 'orce along the entire width of the throat of air-shaft E. Accordingly the separating effect of the current in such shaft is uniform and constant.

Having thus described my invention in detail, that which I particularly point out and distinctly claim is- 1. In a grain and seed cleaner, the combination of a substantially vertical air-shaft, an air-drum laterally contiguous thereto and opening therein,the lower lip of said drum where it opens into said air-shaft being flared outwardly, a valve of cylindrical shape to conform to the shape of said drum fitted within the upper part of the same and movable toward and from said lower lip, and a rack and pinion for positioning said valve.

2. In a grain and seed cleaner, the combination of anair-druni, a fan therein, a substantially vertical air-shaft 0 en at both ends and connected with said air-dium, the lower lip of such air-drum where it opens into said airshaft being flared outwardly, a valve of cylindrical shape to conform to' the shape of said drum slidably mounted in, the opening between said drum and air-shaft, a rack transversely nqounted on said valve, a shaft bearing a 'n on' adapted to mesh therewith and provi ed with a handle, and a set screw adapted to hold said shaft against turning.

Signed'by me this,10th day of July, 1905.

. I FRANK J. FRAME.

I Attest JNo. F. OBERLIN, G. W. SAYWELL. V 

